She has been obliged to give way; and she hates me--almost as bitterly, Carmina, as she hates you.' "This called to my mind the interruption of the previous night, when Miss Minerva had something important to tell me.

When I asked what it was, she shook her head, and said painful subjects of conversation were not fit subjects in my present state.
"Need I add that I insisted on hearing what she had to say?
Oh, how completely my poor father must have been deceived, when he made his horrible sister my guardian! If I had not fortunately offended the music-master, she would have used Mr.Le Frank as a means of making Ovid jealous, and of sowing the seeds of dissension between us.

Having failed so far, she is (as Miss Minerva thinks) at a loss to discover any other means of gaining her wicked ends.

Her rage at finding herself baffled seems to account for her furious conduct, when she discovered me in Miss Minerva's room.
"You will ask, as I did, what has she to gain by this wicked plotting and contriving, with its shocking accompaniments of malice and anger?
"Miss Minerva answered, 'I still believe that money is the motive.

Her son is mistaken about her; her friends are mistaken; they think she is fond of money--the truer conclusion is, she is short of money.